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LZR-1143 #2

Evolution

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The dead have risen. A lethal virus has decimated millions, turning the infected into the walking dead.

Society has crumbled, cities are in flames, and the human race is on the verge of extinction.

Somehow, Mike McKnight has survived. So far. From his cell in a mental institution, he battled the ghosts of his past and the throngs of undead to uncover and retrieve the last vestige of mankind's hope to fight the deadly plague.

Now, from the deck of an aircraft carrier, to the farmlands of the Eastern Shore and the very heart of the nation's capital, Mike carries the hope of an entire race. With him rides the only chance at fighting the spread of the virus, and turning back the tide of infection.

But the undead are changing. They are evolving. Hunting in larger groups and banding together to track their prey, that are more dangerous predators than ever before. To survive, he will have to learn to adapt, and to come to grips with the most important evolution of all: his own.

279 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 30, 2011

323 people are currently reading
850 people want to read

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Bryan James

42 books129 followers

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5 stars
491 (34%)
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573 (40%)
3 stars
280 (19%)
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56 (3%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
Profile Image for Zain.
1,917 reviews298 followers
July 30, 2021
Is This The End?

Now that Mike knows his wife inoculated him with a vaccine against the zombie virus, he thinks he needs to make a trip to D.C., where he feels that the government has a chance to make a vaccine from his blood.

The travel is gruesome and he has picked up a few friends along the way. But they notice that the zombies are changing. They are evolving in some way. They have begun to herd together which makes them more dangerous.

It is a long trip. The traffic is clogged and human beings can be worse than the zombies. Will they succeed with their endeavors? Will they help to save the world?

This is as great as the original, most books usually aren’t. It has a lot of horror and action and is chock full of suspense.
Profile Image for Dear Faye.
493 reviews2,122 followers
April 4, 2012
I thought the first book was better.

Honestly, I didn't feel like finishing this novel. But I did. I tried. I struggled. It was okay, but I felt there were a lot more to be desired. First of all, I have issues with the two main characters ALWAYS on the run. Like seriously, they keep on getting rescued, and each time they're rescued, the rescuers die after, and they survive, and always manage to find something/someone else to rescue them. Even *I* would get tired of that, if I were in the main character's shoes. I felt like being dragged here and there and not given the chance to rest and catch my breath. :(

And oh my dear lord, can the main guy please just stop saying that he finds the main girl beautiful??!! Like we get it already - she's hot, she's sexy, she's downright beautiful, but it is ALWAYS mentioned, ALWAYS referenced. Is that just necessary? And there were times such mentions were made while they were on a run. They're running from zombies, soldiers are after them and then boom - "Oh God, she's beautiful."

¬__¬

And I found it truly weird that the two main characters find it so easy to move on. One of their friends they helped escape from the ship got KABOOMed and then after a few running here and there, they flirt with each other like nothing happened?! He'd rather say "She's beautiful (again)" than at least grieve a little? Sure, everybody has different tastes, but this one bit just strikes a bit odd to me.

Overall, it's okay. But not as good as the first book. Hell, even perspectives was better, and that was less than 50 or so pages. ¬_¬
Profile Image for Dianne.
6,819 reviews634 followers
July 17, 2016
Evolution means change, evolving into something different, sometimes good, sometimes bad and for our hero, Mike the ex-movie star, his evolution is amazing, from pampered star to insane inmate to post-apocalyptic hero on a mission, just short of being a super hero, his sense of timing is still amazing. The evolution of the zombies, seeming to be smarter, more organized and now banding together, is not so good for our hero or humanity. The virus that claimed them is decimating the world population and the cure is running for his life trying to get to a safe haven.

Who can be trusted? Can Mike make it to the people who will help him save the world? Is it possible that a man used to playing the action hero may have become one in reality? Will he get the girl in the end? Will he survive to the end?

Bryan James is back with Evolution and the action is just as intense, the gore is just as gross and the political intrigue is getting even more twisted as truths are found and more questions are raised as what is left of humanity gets a little more feral with each passing day. Follow Mike and Kate as their guardian angels must be working overtime to get them to safety and the scientists they think can use their secrets to save the world.

Let go of reality once again, prepare for humor in the strangest of circumstances and know that heroes will die in an effort to end the zombie foodfest.


Series: LZR1143 - Book 2
Publication Date: December 4, 2013
Publisher: Bryan James
Genre: Horror | Sci-fi
Print Length: 394 pages
Available from: Amazon
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

Profile Image for Santana.
52 reviews
February 5, 2012
I loved the second book in this series. Lost a lot of sleep that's for sure. I could not put it down, it was very entertaining. I would definitely recommend it. There is a part in the story that gave me the chills big time!! I can't wait for a third one!! :)
Profile Image for Karen.
1,353 reviews42 followers
April 12, 2021
I enjoyed the first books that I have read in the series, the novellas and the first novel were good though nothing special. The main characters are well done and those that come into the story as it moves along are also done well enough to make you feel for them and anything that may happen to them. The story keeps becoming deeper as we move further along into what is going on in the world that they are living in. There are instances of humor along the way as well as horror and sometimes they overlap.

In the middle of a zombie apocalypse, it appears a movie star is needed to do the impossible. The dead have risen and Mike McKnight will have to do just that. A lethal virus has killed millions, turning those infected into the living dead. Society has fallen, the cities are in flames, and the human race is on the verge of extinction.

Mike has something that has made all the difference in his new life, his wife managed to give him a vaccine that has made it easier for him to survive in this new reality. He in turn has shared his good fortune with Kate who has been helping him.

Worth the time to get into this series which is kind of different from your regular zombie story.
Profile Image for Michelle Willms.
555 reviews46 followers
November 26, 2017
Unrelenting action

Follow former actor and convicted murderer as he and his friends battle hordes of zombies as they try to get a vaccine for the virus to the remaining government. Great reading!
Profile Image for James.
10 reviews
March 23, 2018
Great book. Just as good as the first one.
Profile Image for The Cats’ Mother.
2,365 reviews196 followers
March 30, 2018

I read the first book in the series a couple of years ago and remembered quite enjoying it, and the sequel, which was also free from Amazon, has been sitting on my Kindle ever since. Being on holiday, I’m using the Kindle more than usual, so it has been an opportunity to pick out some different books. I couldn’t remember much of what had happened but the author fills in enough backstory that it wasn’t a problem: (spoilers in case you have not read it) Movie star Mike McKnight, who had found himself incarcerated in a psychiatric hospital for the murder of his scientist wife at the start of the zombie apocalypse, and escaped alongside a beautiful doctor, had a series of adventures and near misses on his way to meeting up with the scientist who created and released the virus. It turned out his wife had the vaccine against it, and injected him with it, but only after having turned into a zombie herself. That book ended on a cliffhanger with the heroes in a helicopter crash.

Book two, Evolution, begins with Mike waking up on board an aircraft carrier where he and other survivors have been taken by the military. Mike has discovered that the vaccine has made him immune to zombie bites, and given him and Kate, who also received it, accelerated healing powers. His friend Hartliss, was gravely wounded in the accident, and Mike knows that the vaccine, of which he holds the only remaining vial, is the only thing that can save him. It does, but things go wrong and the ships captain gets hold of the vaccine, and orders it to be given to everyone ASAP. Unfortunately it turns out that in the wrong circumstance, it actually turns people, and the release of new undead in the ship has catastrophic consequences. The friends only just escape, and decide to travel to the Pentagon in the hope that their blood can save humanity, picking up some new friends along the way, including a 12 year old orphan called Ky. (Why you would name a character after a brand of personal lubricant I have no idea.)

This is not great literature but it is a rollicking adventure with nearly constant action, a fair bit of sarcasm, and it stays true to the classic zombie mythology (as far as I know, it’s not a genre I’ve read a lot of, but we do watch the Walking Dead, and there are a lot of similarities.) I liked the characters, especially George and Romeo, and probably will continue with the series now, once I reduce the TBR pile a little...
Profile Image for Ryan.
172 reviews
March 31, 2026
Zombies shouldn't be boring...

Characters:

So... I really do not like Mike as a main character, and he puts me off wanting to read more a LOT throughout the book. He is arrogant, smarmy, a little sexist, selfish, and emotionally stunted. I get a main character is meant to be flawed but with endearing qualities that will make them lovable, I am yet to find any with him that I like. Kate was much better in the first book, in this one she just seemed to be the "new girlfriend" and occasionally smiles or shoots, but nothing else really. I did love the addition of George and Ky and personally would prefer if it was following them rather than Mike and Kate.

Storyline:

Compared to book 1, I found this to be a bit of a bore. So many parts of the book felt like it was not needed, and the endless repetitive things happening had me rolling my eyes quite a bit. There was some excitement at the end, and a little in the middle but it didn't seem to have a specific viewpoint of how it wanted to be as a book. It wasn't bad (clearly as I still read it) but I need more to keep me enthralled. It took me 5 days to read and a book of this length takes me 2 or 3 days tops usually.

I do feel as well that it never stops repeating. They are on the run, someone rescues them at the last minute, the person who rescues them dies, they do not feel anything at all, move on...it needs to be mixed up a little.

Pacing/Writing:

The pacing was off throughout this book, it sped up and slowed down so often I felt like I had whiplash. There were moments (chapters) that weren't needed in my opinion - they were too long or nothing but a simple conversation that had been had a few chapters previously. The writing was a little repetitive too and there were a few mistakes in terms of grammar and names (self-published, so I get it). PLEASE STOP REFERENCING HOW MUCH MIKE LIKES KATE - it is not needed every simgle chapter - we get it!

Ending:

The ending was the only part of the book in which I felt the pace picked up and the story was fascinating - and a good few twists there too.

Emotional impact:

What can I say? I don't really feel connected to the characters or story in this book at all.

I am going to read books 3-5, but taking a break and reading them in between other books.

6/10.
Profile Image for John Podlaski.
Author 8 books69 followers
February 6, 2019
Normally readers complain about the lack of action in a zombie book - LZR:1473: Evolution doesn't let up and it will be difficult to catch your breath. I did not read book #1 and thought I'd miss out on much of the back story that happened prior to this addition, but the author provides readers with periodic updates as to what had occurred in the past, thus, eliminating the question marks that might exist otherwise.

This story begins on the aircraft carrier, Enterprise, where Mike and Kate find they are now immune to zombie bites and also have improved healing elements within their bodies as a result of receiving a shot of a perceived vaccine in the earlier book. Things go awry and the vaccine sample vile goes missing, leaving the two of them to fight for survival as everyone else on the ship had suddenly become zombies because of a misjudgment by the captain and the ship was minutes away from running aground on the shore.

The military in Maryland double cross Michael and Kate, who soon discover that they have their own agenda and will do everything in their power to capture the duo and keep the vaccine for themselves. There are so many gauntlets that the duo enter and each one seemed to be their downfall, but somehow, they manage to escape or to be rescued by another survivor(s). Their goal is to reach Washington DC where they believe that scientists and other military survivors exist, and hopefully, are able to use their blood to develop a cure.

There is a love interest that develop between the duo and additional characters join up with the group during their quest...some of them die along the way. If you enjoy blood, gore, and fights against overwhelming odds that keep readers on the edge of their seats, then this book is for you.

There are two more books left in the series, which I will revisit, after a short break. Enjoy!
Profile Image for Tristan.
1,486 reviews18 followers
June 29, 2020
The second episode of this zombie series lacks the psychological confusion that distinguished the first from the run of the mill, but it remains an entertaining, action-packed read with plenty of preposterous gore-soaked set pieces.

Having regained clarity of thought, the protagonist’s past as an action flick actor is still relevant as it provides him with the knowledge he needs to operate an array of weaponry and vehicles, but the blurring of reality and fiction is less of a plot point. The protagonist is in full action hero mode as he and his kick-ass sexy psychiatrist sidekick develop superhero strength and ultra rapid healing from the zombie vaccine that was injected into them at the end of the last book. This is the evolution of the title, as well as referring to the change in zombie behaviour that makes the ghouls cooperate and hence become more effective pack hunters. Evolved or not, the protagonist remains something of a fish out of water and a prat, which is more fun to read than some testosterone fuelled survivalist codswallop. That aside, this is just a race across country in search of answers, a cure, the sidekick’s daughter, etc. You know: the usual stuff.

Nevertheless, the book is a fun read. Pacy, humorous, and well put together.
238 reviews1 follower
October 31, 2025
I enjoyed this second installment better than the first book. It is essentially and extended road trip throw the apocalypse and generous dose of people making weird decisions or just being plain nuts. There are also a new characters to warm to - even if they don't all live too long. And some old favorites that also say so long.

The 'evolution' of the zombies is also good to see - but was also interesting to contemplate with the so called 'vaccine'. The violence of the herding behavior coupled with herd hiding was also neatly executed in various ways through the book.

One thing I greatly enjoyed was not have to grapple with a weird prelude or biblical references.

There are a few editorial issues in the book, but nothing to dramatic. The worst was when the characters were discussing the side effects of the 'virus' (sigh). But nothing editorial really caused me to loose a beat while reading.

Profile Image for Liza.
447 reviews8 followers
June 17, 2017
In lieu of summary, I'll let my mid-reading commentary stand:

28.0% "This is a man who thinks he's funny but really just isn't. I want to tell him to shut up and smack him in the back of the head a la Gibbs and DiNozzo."
28.0% "Seriously, I just don't have a lot of sympathy for the main character in this novel. His asshole quotient has been upped exponentially since the last book, and he is a deeply flawed character that I just can't relate to. (By which I mean he makes a lot of shitty decisions, the repercussions of which have gotten a lot of people killed.)"
88.0% "I don't even know why George got out of the damn bus."

And that really sums it up. I don't even know why George got out of the damn bus.

Sadly, if the third book were free (or at my library), I'd still read it. Also: I dreamed of zombies last night. :p
Profile Image for Elizabeth Jane.
359 reviews17 followers
March 7, 2019
Another win!

This story pulls me in so much that I even dream about it at night 😂 Just when I think a new friend they meet is going to make it for longer than two chapters...WHAM! Mr. James out does GRRM with character deaths. I love that Kate and Mike are getting to know each other better and better. Reading bits and pieces of their background really makes their characters so much more real. Ky is my new favorite character though. I hope they can keep her alive! Granted, she does an excellent job on her own 😁 This would've been 5 stars, but the grammatical errors and sporadic incorrect word usage irked me.
1,102 reviews4 followers
February 8, 2019
LZR-1143

I am very pleasantly surprised with this series. I got the first book free and it was so good I have gone on to book #3. His main characters are so interesting! I can't wait to see what happens with Ky, the preteen pain in the rear. Does Kate make it to Canada to find her daughter? Do Mike and Kate suffer from more side effects or worsening of the one they already have????
If you're a fan of Dirk Patton you're going to totally enjoy reading this series.
I highly recommend this series to all the zombie apocalypse lovers out there!
6 reviews2 followers
March 11, 2017
Entertainment not great art. That's awesome.

Second book is about as good as the first. Well described scenes give it a feel of reading a comic book. I like the main character and don't hate the female lead for a change. They introduced a kid this time and I didn't hate her either.
I was pretty ill when I read this book and it was still easy to follow. The internal dialogue feels natural and often very funny.
I will be purchasing the next book.
24 reviews
November 19, 2025
another chapter in this intriguing tale

I am thoroughly enjoying these books. I’ve now finished 3 and it’s on to the next one. This book is a good read, just like the others. I read them out of sequence, but easy to follow. This is the start of the virus and how it came to be. The struggles of 3 people who are trying to make a difference. I loved it.
Profile Image for Michelle Gardiol .
28 reviews2 followers
July 15, 2017
Great books

This is the 3rd or 4th story I've read in this series and they are great though I still for some reason missed out the 1st book. I think its because the order they came in doesn't show on the front of the book as the name mainly,stays the same but half changes so it's a little confusing but the stories are good enough to re-read.
17 reviews
February 10, 2019
Wow

This series just keeps getting better and better. I’m in love with this series and this author. His writing style is awesome and keeps me laughing and on the edge of my seat. Action packed from front to back. A definite must read. Cannot wait to find out what happens next!!
95 reviews2 followers
March 3, 2019
Have book 3 on the bedside table

I just finished reading book 2 and I'm going to start book 3 before bed. It'll be hell to get up in the morning but well worth it. Love this series!
Profile Image for jonathan sanford.
224 reviews3 followers
April 4, 2021
What a ride

This series just gets better and better. These books are so well written you just can't stop yourself from being drawn in. If you like zombie stories then what are you waiting for?????
1 review
June 24, 2018
Good book

Interesting take on zombies and how they might arise and how to defeat them. A a a a a a
21 reviews
August 17, 2018
Excellent story telling

Great characters
Great story telling and excellent attention to detail, I felt that I was fighting right along side them.
Profile Image for Jennifer Martin.
160 reviews2 followers
August 30, 2018
Awesome action packed book

I never knew what was going to happen next. I expect the worst, then something good would happen. Love it
149 reviews1 follower
December 8, 2019
Great!

Very good series so far. Love the characters. I wasn’t sure about the insane man in the beginnings but I love him now. Keep up the good work!! On to the next book.
1 review
July 9, 2025
Mindless fun

Unique story answer twist on the zombie apocalypse. Funny as I is entertaining. If you have time to kill, this is a great series to read.
Profile Image for Misty Ann.
187 reviews8 followers
January 5, 2026
I enjoyed this one just as much as the first. There were some surprising twists that shocked me. Loving it so far.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews